Screw locking element



March 7, 1933. Q QLSQN 1,900,195

SCREW IJOCKING ELEMENT Filed July 31, 1930 a wg m therewith Patented Mar. 7, 1933 r CARL s. OLSON, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To SHAKEPROOFVLOCK WASHER com- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SCREW LOOKINGg ELEME 1 Application filed July 31 My invention relates generallyto screw locking elements and more particularly to devices of this nature formed-from a single a strip of stock,

from a singlev piece of elongated wire stock.

Another object of my invention is to provide a locking element of annular construction which is formed with a plurality of adjacently positioned coils oi wire stock, said coils being provided with teeth for lockingly engaging the work. I

Still another object of my invention is to provide a locking element as above set forth comprising a plurality of coils of wire stock said stock being of polygonal cross section and twisted so as to present a plurality of helical work engaging edges.

My invention also contemplates the provision of a locking element as above set forth which is equipped with a terminal section adapted to receive the free extremity oi a conductor.

These and other objects will be'more apparent from the following detailed description when considered with the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of a lock washer construction in accordance with the teachings of my invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational View of Fig-. e yp Shown n Figure 1 presents a y ure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a locking ele ment similar to Figure 1 having a radially extending terminal section formed integral Figure 4 is a plan View of a modified coiled locking element which is twisted throughout its length so as to present helical locking edges;

Figure 5 discloses a locking element similar to Figure 4 which is equipped with a radially extending integral terminal section; and

Figure 6 is still another modified locking. element in which the internal coil is twisted so as to prevent a ing hellcal edges 24.

1536. v Serial N6. 471,973. I p

and the external coil as well as the terminal sections are IlOttWlStQd. p Referring now to the drawlng more in detailgiwherein I have employed like numerals to designate similar parts shown 1n the variouslfi gures, it will be seen that myinvention contemplates theprovision of a locking element which includesa single strip of wire stock which is bentinto annular formso as topresent a pair of nested coils or rings 10 and 12. The ring 10 is nested within the ring 12' and'is connected. with the ring 12. through theagency of a deflected radial section i lwhich extends between the extremity 16 015 the ring 10 andthe-extremity 18 of the ring 12. These extremities l6 and 18 are (lefiected outwardly in opposite directions so asto present work'engaging locking edges 20.:v Thesefedges are adapted to imbed th'emselves within the work piece when the cl amping action is exei-tedaxially of the locking element. v

It will be'noted that the outer periphery of the ringv 10 isadjacently positioned with respect to the inner periphery ofthe ringol2, v the space presented betweenfthese surfaces being sufliciently small so as to enable a film of'tin QQJindicated by the stippling inFig ure l,to become lodged therein during the tinning operation. In this way, the tin sur face serves as a binder betweenthe coilsor rings 10 and 12, thereby securing said coils against expansion when clampedbetween a nut andawork' piece. A locking element of of'Fi'gure 4: is formed from asinglestrip of stock which, has been previously twisted plurality of work engag- In my c'o pending application Serial No. 472,373 filed August 1, 1930, I have shown a locking element formed with a plurality of helical edges as shown in'Figure 4, but my present invention differs from the structure set forth in said co-pending application in providing a plurality of rings or coils which have been previously twisted. It should be noted that the twist imparted tothe locking element of Figure 4 is such as to counteract a tendency for the rings to expand in response to the tightening action of a nut.

In Figure 3 I have shown alocking element of modified form wherein a radial terminal section 26 is formed integrally with the rings 10 and 12, the outer extremity of said terminal section being formed with an aperture 28 for receiving the free extremity of a conductor. It will be seen that the terminal section 26 is formed by extending the ring or coil 10 outwardly in a radial direction and then returning the stock so as to join the ring 12.

In Figure 5 a still further modification is shown wherein a structure similar to Figure 4 is formed with a radially extending terminal section 26. Likewise in Figure 6 a still further modification is disclosed. lhis construction in Figure 6 includes a ring or coil 12A which has not been previously twisted and a nested twisted coil 10A, both of said coils being connected by a radially extending terminal section 26.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that my invention presents a very simple locking element which may be formed by merely subjecting a strip of wire stock to bending operations. The fact that the entire locking element is formed from a unitary strip of material eliminates the loss which has heretofore been occasioned when locking elements, terminals and the like have been stamped from flat stock. In other words the entire portion of the wire stock is employed in forming my improved locking device. Obviously numerous changes and modifications may be made in the structure without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and, therefore, said invention should be limited only on the scope of the following claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A locking element formed from a single strip of wire stock including an outer annular section, an inner annular section, the outer periphery of the inner section being positioned adjacent the inner periphery of the outer annular section, work engaging teeth associated with said annular sections and projecting out of the plane thereof, and binding material interposed between the adjacent annular surface of said annular sections.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CARL G. OLSON. 

